Arsenal have rejected an approach from a Premier League side for striker Eddie Nketiah ahead of the transfer window. It was reported earlier this month...
Arsenal have rejected an approach from a Premier League side for striker Eddie Nketiah ahead of the transfer window.
It was reported earlier this month that Arsenal chiefs expect Mikel Arteta to pull a U-turn and sell Nketiah in January. The Spaniard isn�t currently looking to cash in on the player, though teams have shown an interest in the 24-year-old.
Despite being the Gunners top scorer in the Premier League with five goals, Nketiah has earned mixed reviews from fans and pundits this season.
While ESPN�s Don Hutchison has described him as �underrated� and praised his work rate, former Tottenham striker Teddy Sheringham has labelled the Hale End academy graduate as �disappointing�.
Nketiah has divided those who have watched him throughout this season and while many believe he isn�t the level of striker they need to fire them to the title, Arteta is still reluctant to sell him.
In the upcoming window, the Spaniard has more pressing matters to deal with as they look to sign a central midfielder and full-back instead of a striker.
While Arteta has said that Nketiah isn�t for sale and made his stance clear, that hasn�t stopped teams from showing an interest in the forward.
Arsenal reject Crystal Palace�s approach for Eddie Nketiah
Crystal Palace have been long-term admirers of Nketiah.
The Eagles were interested in signing him last year when his contract was due to expire before he ended up signing a new deal for the Gunners that runs till June 2027.
The Daily Mail have now revealed that Palace have gone back in for a second bite of the cherry but claim that Arsenal won�t budge on their stance that he isn�t for sale.
Of course, that could change if a club meets their �50m valuation of the player, but that is a lofty fee to pay for someone who has only scored 38 goals in 156 appearances in red and white.
Should Arsenal sell Nketiah?
Arsenal have conceded that Nketiah isn�t the long-term solution to their struggles in front of goal, but he has shown he can deliver when required.
In the 2-0 victory over Brighton earlier on this month, the 24-year-old made an excellent contribution from the bench, providing an inch-perfect through-ball to�Kai Havertz,�who finished well to secure the victory for Arsenal.
It�s in these moments where Nketiah earns his money as a striker, turning provider on this occasion, but also showing his eye for goal.
As stated previously, it is remarkable that the Englishman is the club�s top scorer in the league despite playing second fiddle to Gabriel Jesus and seeing his minutes restricted.
Nonetheless, Arteta can be pleased with his contributions off the bench and should only consider selling him if they have a replacement lined up.
Given they are restricted to what they can spend in the January window, it�s likely the Gunners will wait till the summer before they invest in a striker with The Hale Ender remaining at the Emirates Stadium for the time being.
